Improvement in fences



K. MOKINNON.

Fence No. 207,537.` Patented Aug. 27,1878.

INVENTOR. A @4m/z' ,cuar

ATTORN EYS UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIGE.

KENNETH MCKINNON, OF PLEASANT HILL, ALABAMA.

IMPROVEMENT IN FENCES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent N o. 207,537, dated August 27,1878; application filed December 22, 1877.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, KENNETH McKINNoN, of Pleasant Hill, in the county of Dallas and State of Alabama, have invented a new and valuable Improvement in Fences, and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making a part of this specification, and to the letters and ligures of reference marked thereon.

Figure l of the drawings is a perspective view of my fence. Fig. 2 is a detail view.

The nature of my invention consists in cer-v tain improvements in rail fences, whereby such fences can be easily constructed and braced, in the manner hereinafter set forth, and pointed out in the claim.

The annexed drawing, to which reference is made, fully illustrates my invention.

A A represent two upright posts or bars, connected by pins a and bolt b. When the posts are ijrinly bolted together, notches are cut in both of them between the bolt b and the upper pin, a, of sufficient size to receive a slat, (l, which rests upon the shoulders e formed by said notches. This slat extends across and beyond both posts, and is rlnlynailed to them. The frames thus made are used in the construction of a rail fence in the following manner: Three or more frames are set upright in the line of the fence at suitable distances apart. A rail, D, is then laid so that both ends thereof will rest upon the upper pins of two frames. The second rail, l), rests with one end upon one end of the first rail, overlapping it between the posts of the frame, and the other end is laid upon the top pin of the third frame, and so on for the irst course of rails on the frames.

The fence is braced laterally by diagonal bracing-stakes E, such as are in common use in the construction of a stake-and-rider fence. Th ey are m ade to an tagonize each other at every frame. The stakes are so set as to be in contact with the transverse slat C and with each other.

When two or more pairs of stakes are putin position, the rider G, which may be a rail or a pole, is laid into the crotches of the stakes made by crossing each other upon the lirst course of rails.

In building a permanent fence, when the stakes are well settled in their positions, the transverse slat C is nailed securely to them.

The fence is also braced longitudinally by setting one end of a rail, H, on the ground and against the post A of one frame. This end is usually secured in position by pins Z driven into the ground, as shown in Fig. l of the drawings. The other end is laid upon the transverse slat (l outside of and in con tact with the post of the next frame in the line of fence. There is cut a notch, w, in the under side of this rail where it rests upon the slat, and is made to lit over the slat snugly, and pinned thereto. In a permanent fence this rail His nailed to the post above the slat. These bracing-rails H are set to antagonizeeach other on level ground, and are only required to be used for every third or fourth panel, except when the fence is built uphill they may be required for every panel, most of them bracing uphill.

The longitudinal rails of the panels, which rest on the pins a a and bolts b, and slats C are liable to slip endwise when the fence is built up or down hill. This slipping is prevented by cutting notches a' into the under sides of the rails where they rest upon said parts, and so made as to lit closely over them.

All that is necessary to make a close fence for small stock is to build it up from the ground by rest-ing the ends of the rails of one panel alternately between the posts A A upon the ends of the rails of the next panel up to the bolts b.

What I claim as new, land desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

In a fence, the transverse slats C, project ing beyond the sides of the fence, to which is secured the crossing-stakes E and the bracebars H, as shown and described.

In testimony that I claim the above I have hereunto subscribed my naine in the presence of two witnesses.

KENNETH MCKINNON.

Vitnesses:

R. G. VooD, SUMTER LEA. 

